It’s no fun! Gee, why is it no fun to do a water fast? Because the more you need to fast, the worse you will feel. So when you are younger you have a lot of energy and you might not even notice much; maybe you will be a little hungry the first day of the fast. You are all excited to learn about this healing modality so you try it on for a day or three. One thing you don’t want to do is what I have heard from people they have done: dry fasts. Dry fasting is dangerous because you become dehydrated and it concentrates the toxins that you are releasing from your lymph fluid and the rest of your body. So drink plenty of water to flush out your body while you fast. Also it is best if just rest with your eyes closed and get as much sleep as you can.

Do you get colds or the flu? If you do, you could clean out by fasting. Most people think that if they have colds or the flu they caught some bug. Maybe they did, maybe they didn’t; it could be an overload of whatever you did like eating low water content food that clogs your system. You are much less likely to have a ‘bug’ chowing down on your clogged lymph and blood system if you keep your body clean. After all, you most likely take a shower and keep your outside clean - how about the inside? The best health tip I have ever heard was “Stop doing what caused the problem.” Listen to your body! An example might be: feeling that little tickle in your throat, feeling low energy after eating what you already knew wasn’t the best idea for you to eat.

What if you don’t have the time to fast anywhere from one day to thirty days? Consider this: do you have time to be in bed for a week or more with a cold or the flu? How about more serious health issues like cancer? By fasting on a fairly regular basis, you can likely reduce or eliminate the number of colds and other problems you have if you also take care to reduce your negative stress as much as possible, be in an optimal environment for you, and have fun moving toward your purpose.

Learn about being vegan or plant-based diet because it is easy. Then start eating more and more raw/live foods, transitioning to as much as you can do. I now eat more than a 99% vegan raw/live food diet and will probably go 100% this year because I feel so much better when I’m 100% raw/live.

Here are some resources to get started on fasting and eating a vegan raw foods diet:

Not sure how many of you have heard about Markus Rothkrantz; he and his wife Cara, who sort of seem to sex-up their videos somehow, have a business where they promote raw foods and raw food products.

I thought his video on weight loss might be interesting to some; it really reinforces [a little heavily] the importance of a healthy and fresh food diet, although I don't think eating some steamed veggies every now and then is a bad thing, to keep our bodies functionally optimally. Of course, getting all of our nutrients in fresh raw foods can sometimes be iffy depending where and how they are grown, and how long they had to travel and then sit on shelves. We grow many of our own greens, such as lettuce, kale, parsley and even celery, and we put our own soil amendments in the raised garden beds. But many people can't or don't want to grow their own. I am not so keen on buying supplemental 'green powders' but maybe they can help at times, especially if one is low in some nutrients.

Anyway, maybe you'll learn something from his video and/or pass it on! He mentions the documentary "Fed Up" in his video; I haven't watched that one yet. Hope to soon!

Summer in Hawaii is outrageous for fruits! So many yummy things are coming to fruit, literally! It would be great if we had a bigger place so we could plant more fruit trees, but maybe in the future...

Last month [well, June, actually], I picked about 3 or 4 five gallon buckets of mangoes - wow! This doesn't include those that we just picked up when we walked by the trees and saw some mangoes on the ground. Many of them were the 'common' mango, which is small and fairly stringy [these were already growing on our property when we bought it], but still! We are also getting Keitts [these cut like butter! and they have an interesting tang to them], Julies [our favorite so far, but the Keitts are not far behind!], and a couple of unknown seedling mango trees that have just started to produce - one of them produces a mango that is FOUR TIMES bigger than the Julie! Wow! However, the birds really like those, too, and eat most of them on the tree before they have started to ripen! Big Bummer! We're trying paper bags around the mangoes [birds peck thru plastic] to see if that works because we'd really like our work and effort in taking care of the trees to bring us some of that fruit! I have tasted one of these 'unknown' giant mangoes and while the flavor is 'okay' [good, but not as good as the Keitt or Julie], they are still outrageously huge! But, the mango season is almost over [although the Julies can have two seasons in one year sometimes]. The other fruits we are getting: tropical raspberries, soursops, jackfruit, bananas [of course!], papayas, white sapote, mulberries, avocados, acerola cherry, and probably one or two others I'm forgetting. Summer is the time of year when we get the most fruit off our land; winter [Dec thru March] is our slowest season [we might only get a handful of banana bunches, total, during those months, whereas we pick a banana bunch roughly every other day or so during the summer and fall]. Of course, we only have one or two of some of those trees, like we only have one acerola cherry, so we get limited amounts [although plenty for us!]. So summer is the best time of the year to be in Hawaii, although it does get pretty warm [comparatively] in August and September! It was 88 in the shade the other day. Ah.... summer! Lots of fresh and amazing tropical fruits! See our photo album for pictures of many of our fruits! More are posted regularly!

I'm not really a big fan of social media websites; never have been. Probably one reason is because I don't have the time [or, more accurately, don't want to take the time] to deal with them. I only want to be on the computer so much. Doing this website is a stretch for me, in a way, because I already spend a lot of time on my computer for my work. [And, one reason why there aren't more regular blog posts.]

Thus, I've never gotten involved with, or even had the desire to register with, Twitter, FB, Pinterest, or whatever other media sites are out there. Just not my thing.

However, recently, I was interested in learning about the Big Island Fruit Festival schedule and activities that are going on from May 14 to May 28. And, I found out to my dismay, that they are using FB for all of their connections, scheduling, etc. I also recently found out that the Big Island Fruitlucks group [their name!] is going to switch from MeetUp to FB. How disappointing.

There are MANY reasons why I refuse to support FB, besides the fact that I don't want to take the time to deal with social media in general. There have been many news articles reporting their cooperation with various governmental agencies in releasing private citizen information, the recent news exposure on their censorship activities of 'conservative' groups/posts, and that they decided to remove any gun-related groups or posts on FB. Those are just some of their activities that I've become aware of; there are a great deal more. I'm sure that most of you are not into censorship. Most of us are aware of the quote by "Anonymous" [although the attribution has since been give to Pastor Niemoller] regarding the Nazi actions; I found a great revised version on this website that relates to internet security [or insecurity, as it truly now is]: "First They Came for the Jews". [Now please don't get all riled up about me comparing internet security and privacy concerns with the Nazis and the Holocaust as that is not what I'm doing; as I was thinking about what FB does and the ethical issues concerned with their activities, especially turning over private citizen information to the government, those things reminded me of that quote. Then, I saw that others were connecting those dots, as well. The moral tale is similar; the wholesale and unspeakable things that Nazis did to Jews, and many other groups, is not.]

You don't have to take my word for criticisms of FBs actions and activities; here are just two of MANY websites available to review some of their egregious actions:

There are options to FB if one is so inclined to be on a social media site like that. I found out about one that is supported by Tim Berners-Lee, and founded by civil libertarians. As folks who are part of what some consider to be a cult [raw foodists, or even vegans!], I believe we ought to also carefully consider the backers of the internet sites that we choose to support, even if it is only by signing up. By registering for a site, we are giving our tacit approval of things they do. And, of course, while we can't know everything about who is behind an internet site, we can and do know some things by the history of FB and their actions; thus, we can take action. We get all upset about whether or not our foods are organic or truly raw, we 'ought' to get upset, and then take action, about how our private information is being given away.

If I were going to be active on a social media website, I would probably choose MeWe. While I don't like the name [it just doesn't have a good ring to it!], I do very much appreciate the founders' values, privacy bill of rights, and other information they have posted on their website. I encourage you to check it out, as well, and let's create a 'fast' from FB! Millions are choosing to delete their accounts from FB - you can, too!

Most of us are familiar with the elementary school models of the planets orbiting the sun. While it would be difficult to explain this to an elementary school child, and help them build a more accurate model, that model is inaccurate. Rather the planets and sun in our solar system move more in a vortex type of pattern, rather than a strict helical pattern. Take a look at this short video from Forbidden Knowledge TV that demonstrates the solar system moving with a vortex motion.

Outrageous right?! Well, maybe not. Just think about what a billion dollars might be worth in twenty years. Yes, I know, a billion is a thousand million. In the last twenty years, the value of the dollar has gone down in value something like 50%. Looking at the way things are going, it could be worse than 50% in the next twenty years.

But anyway, I want to be able to buy nanobots or whatever the latest technology is that will make it possible for me to be able live as long as I want to. Also, I could use a knee replacement since I messed mine up a little back in the early 1970’s motocross racing. Maybe in twenty years the technology will allow me to be able to jump a small building in a single bound. (Smiley face.)

Okay, the way I’m thinking right now is that one aspect of AnimAJourney will be a launching pad for an Integrated Vegan Business Incubator for people to come together who have values in common, who want to be Friends of AnimAJourney, and who also have a long term view about how to make things better for themselves and the World. Remember if people can come together with enough alignment they can create Synergy. This where values, ethics and vision come in. A holistic Integrated Vision that does not include things like “The Ends Justify the Means” or Violence and Violation. What if we had enough humility to know that we are all Ignorant and that we could commit to life long learning?

After we are very successful with our vegan businesses, can you imagine living or visiting one of our seasteads on the ocean where true freedom exists or is the norm? Here is one example of a seastead home and what the future may hold for living on the sea, but $200,000 is ridiculous! We would figure out how to make it more affordable. How about a space station or a colony on the Moon or on Mars? ”Now you are getting outrageous,” I can hear you thinking/saying. Hey, it all starts with a thought - that’s the easy part. But what’s here at AninimAJourney started with a thought and now we grow most of our own food and the projects we planned for are coming along; some more slowly than others, but they are coming along.

So who wants to make a lot money having fun so we can do some outrageous things in the world while at the same time being ethical? What values do you have? On the top of my list is non-violence, freedom and a fun way to deal with ignorance. I call it the Psycho-Social Frontier!

http://www.AnimAJourney.com

I LOVE LIVE FOOD BECAUSE LIVE FOOD LOVES ME BACK .

Just imagine a future better than the present. You begin to love every minute of it. You become part of the solution and see that your life and energies are worthwhile and making a difference. How fortunate we all are to be living in these times.

Most people, if asked, would say they are into nonviolence but would say something needs to be done about whole list of things they would like the government to do. Are they aware that all the things they want the government to do costs money and they have to get that money somewhere? Maybe some do, but not many. So this is a contradiction because government uses force to get the money (in the form of taxes) to do things that only some people think need to be done. With this basic belief that taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society when in reality a civilized society would not take money (taxes) from us by force. So violence creates more violence.

The American Empire, with the military industrial complex, thinks it’s just fine to use Violence (yes kill people) anywhere in the world. What to do about this horrible situation? Peace starts at home with each individual. Pay as little tax dollars as legally possible. Visit the Thrive Movement website to learn about some other ideas.

How do we change this? First we need to understand what’s happening and set a course to a Non-violent Future. A Voluntary Civil Society only needs two laws, I believe. Do all you have agreed to do, which is the foundation of contract law. And do not encroach on other people or their property, which is the basis of tort law and some criminal law.

I know, I know, it’s too idealistic. But evolution starts in small nooks and crannies all over the world. We can start with ourselves. I think we are all Ignorant in one way or another. I have boiled down what I think is going on in the world gone mad: ignorance, fear, violence and lack of freedom.

How about a Vegan Corporation and non-profit? Maybe even a church with businesses and values used to create a better world for the share holders and everyone else involved, of course, with the illusion of security. I say “illusion” because there is no true security, but we can have what feels like security in the now. Some of what we need are vegan idealists with accounting, lawyering skills and a whole bunch of good ideas because maybe one out ten businesses will be successful businesses.

Remember: as Buckminster Fuller said: You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.

Peace, Love and Monkey Business.

A.J.

I LOVE LIVE FOOD BECAUSE LIVE FOOD LOVES ME BACK .

Just imagine a future better than the present. You begin to love every minute of it. You become part of the solution and see that your life and energies are worthwhile and making a difference. How fortunate we all are to be living in these times.

I don’t often like to post about politics; it’s such a mess and mired in so much that it’s often ridiculous to even address the topic - sort of like trying to unravel a giant ball of string.

BUT, recently I was reading “Clinton Cash” about all the money going into the Clinton family coffers. I was also reading “Trickle Up Poverty” which I already wrote about in a previous blog.

However, “Clinton Cash” and the current political primaries and other presidential race gobbledy-gook [which I pay little attention to, but unless one is dead, one hears about stuff anyway], along with the fact that too many people surrounding me are actually VOTING for Bernie Sanders. What?

As a feminist, I am pleased, on one hand, that a woman is running for president of the U.S. It’s about time. I think women can do many of the same things men can do; I detest the conversation about ‘women vs. men’ that continues to this day. It is well known that the overlap between what women and men can do is large; except for producing sperm, giving birth, having different genitals, and a few other minor things, women and men are very similar. We can both engage in critical thinking and reasoning, we can handle small and large problems and issues. We can both do many things, although it seems that the divisions of ‘housework’ and outside work still occur to a large degree with women in heterosexual couplings still doing the majority of ‘housework’ detail.

Anyway, the point is, this divisiveness of women vs. men has gone on far too long; the facts are in and they are that both sexes are capable of many of the same things. The conversation ought to switch from the differences between the sexes to the similarities; yet that doesn’t seem to be part of the U.S. conversation just yet. We’re still mostly mired in the ‘us vs. them’ mentality. So, I say ‘yay!’ that a woman is running for president of the United States. Women are running other countries; I don’t know how well, but they are. So, it’s about time.

However, while I think it’s great a woman is running for president, IDO NOT in any way shape or form endorse Hilary Clinton. She is as good as the boys when it comes to lying, cheating, stealing, political maneuvering, furthering her own personal and political agendas, etc. etc. Thus, she IS just as ‘good’ at the political game as any guy in power. And, that’s my point. I think it is a real shame that feminists are backing Hilary JUST BECAUSE she is a woman, and don’t consider her history, all of the investigations into her and her husband’s shenanigans, the likelihood that she has done MANY illegal activities, and all the rest make her such a poor candidate. I think it is so unfortunate that some people, especially feminists and some women (and maybe even some men; I don’t really know since I’m not paying THAT close attention to the media pundits) are telling people to vote for Hilary BECAUSE she is a woman (note the recent backtracking of Gloria Steinem, who was advocating for Bernie and then had to eat her words later...sigh...what an idiotic 'conversation').

We need to get away from this single issue, single focus on ‘gender’ or ‘skin color’ or whatever and look at the holistic picture of what a person’s livelihood has shown them to be: in this case Hilary ranks right up there with the good ol’ boys in the power, authority, and furthering her own political games. Do NOT make the mistake of voting for Hilary just because she is a woman. That is a fallacy of the highest order, that someone’s sex is the most important factor in a political race!

On a slightly different note, I wholeheartedly agree with Richard Maybury who said something to the effect that ‘anyone who runs for president or wants to be president has some form of pathology’ (or, is crazy, to the rest of us). Who in their right mind could be the ‘head of state’ in this crazy, messed up version of the United States? The number of governmental agencies alone has increased exponentially since 9/11. The decisions and minions surrounding the president are just unbelievable. I don’t think anyone is in their ‘right mind’ who supposes they can run a country like the U.S. [and, of course, that concept could be debated, I know] or is someone who can be counted on to run a country. I have seen over and over again the speeches that promise this and that, only to see the person take office and switch their positions 180 degrees. It seems to me that most people who run for political office are doing it for personal reasons: power, authority, promoting their own personal or political agendas, money mongering, etc. The idea of representation of the people is pretty much a null and void aspect of legislators. I can’t recall a legislator in my area in the past 30+ years who represented me... Can you think of someone who has? And, forget even upholding the constitution of the United States, which they swore to do when they took office.

Bernie Sanders - what? I don’t get why people are voting for him. We know that socialism doesn’t work; we have plenty of evidence from other countries and historical evidence that has shown time and again that socialism doesn’t work and isn’t beneficial to the majority of the populace. For whatever reason, people seem to be drawn to Sanders; I don’t devote enough of my time or energy to the political debates [formal and informal] to understand the draw to Bernie, but I fully and wholeheartedly believe that Bernie, nor just about anyone else who is running for president, will be our savior.

I urge you: rather than listening and being swayed by the verbiage, look at what people have actually done in their political or professional history. Look behind the veiled curtain, which is veiled for a reason! Far too often, people vote for a candidate for emotional reasons, or because their friend did. Don’t be the lemming who falls over the cliff because your friend did! Take some time to dig a little and really get behind the scenes of the political theater to see what happened in a person’s past. What is Bernie’s agenda? Look at his history and you’ll get a little sense of it... Don’t be fooled by the political swaggering (“When I’m president, I’ll make sure there’s a chicken in every pot!”).

Or... Don’t vote at all; that’s another option. There could well be moral and ethical reasons not to vote; you could take that into consideration, as well...

I recently started reading this book by Michael Savage; it was pretty depressing. Not that much of it was new information, but to have so much of Obama's [as well as some previous presidential administrations] laid bare, the outright hypocrisy, the ridiculous amounts money being wasted [while we are told we've got to 'buckle down'] by trivial and personal items [not only by Obama but the rest of the administration, Congress, etc. etc.], and on and on and on... well, like I said, depressing. This book was published in 2010, so the time has come and gone to prevent Obama from being re-elected [one of Savage's goals in his book], but the information may still be revelatory to some; provocative and idiotic to others; and mind-blowing, to say the least, to many others.

Savage is called a neoconservative, while I am not. However, I still found myself agreeing with many of his statements, opinions, and appreciated the research he conducted in his book. If you are as concerned as I am about the state of affairs of our country, it might be worth reading. There is also a "Rational Wiki" page that discusses the book [I encourage you to read the critiques yourself], along with Savage's follow-up book "Trickle Down Tyranny." I haven't started that one yet, but plan to read it at some point.

And, along with finding the "Rational Wiki" page that critiqued Savage's book, I found a link to another more general Rational Wiki blogs that look interesting, but haven't had time to explore yet.

Savage also hosts a radio/internet talk show called "The Savage Nation" that might be interesting to check out, as well.

Most of us have seen the word "natural" on food and product labels. Consumer Reports has conducted surveys and has found that many people have a misunderstanding of what that word mean [some believe it means that the product or food is organic, for example]. You can go to this Food Politics blog to get the Consumer Reports report on this survey. Unfortunately, the use of that word is not regulated nor defined by any agency, governmental or otherwise. While we don't necessarily agree with the FDA and their regulatory decisions, you might want to weigh in on the use of the word "natural" on food and product labels. If so, you can comment through the this website link.